Bjp Attacks Vp Singh Over Grand Alliance Plan

The BJP yesterday attacked former Prime Minister VP Singh for suggesting that the Congress and the United Front partners should enter into a strategic alliance to defeat the BJP at the hustings. It also pooh-poohed Singhs oft-repeated claim that he had retired from active politics. Singhs statement came from the Apollo hospital where he is undergoing dialysis.

BJP vice-president KL Sharma held that Singhs statement indicated he was doing back seat driving, and challenged him to come out in the open. Sharma justified the partys criticism against Singh, saying that his criticism against the BJP was unprovoked. He also held that Singh was trying to divert peoples attention from corruption by raking up the issue of communalism, and said the former Prime Minister would not succeed. Corruption would be an overriding issue at the next elections, he claimed.

Sharma ridiculed Singhs soft attitude towards the Congress and demanded an explanation. Singh has come a complete circle.

He wants to come nearer to the Congress, which he had left on the issue of corruption, Sharma pointed out.

It was unfortunate that Singh was no more talking of corruption, he added.

The BJPs strong criticism against Singh emanates from the partys understanding that Singh could be aiming to occupy the centrestage of Indian politics by uniting all anti-BJP forces, a BJP leader said. Singh is the single most important leader who is capable to do so, he admitted.